}}{{tnr}}'''Mark Steven Kirk''' (b. September 15, 1959) is a [[Republican]] member of the [[U.S. Senate]] from the state of [[Illinois]]. Kirk was elected to the [[U.S. Senate|Senate]] on November 2, 2010, winning a special election to serve the final weeks of President [[Barack Obama]]'s Senate term, in addition to winning a regular six-year term starting January 3, 2011.<ref name="biography"> [http://kirk.senate.gov/?p=about_senator ''Mark Kirk--Senator for Illinois'' "About Mark" Accessed October 14, 2011] </ref>

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}}{{tnr}}'''Mark Steven Kirk''' (b. September 15, 1959, in Champaign, Illinois) is a [[Republican]] member of the [[United States Senate|U.S. Senate]] from the state of [[Illinois]]. Kirk was elected to the [[U.S. Senate|Senate]] on November 2, 2010, winning a special election to serve the final weeks of President [[Barack Obama]]'s Senate term, in addition to winning a regular six-year term starting January 3, 2011.<ref name="biography"> [http://kirk.senate.gov/?p=about_senator ''Mark Kirk--Senator for Illinois'' "About Mark" Accessed October 14, 2011] </ref>

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Kirk had a stroke on January 21, 2012, and as a result was unable to work while recovering. He missed all 189 roll-call votes in the [[U.S. Senate|Senate]] in 2012.<ref>[http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/breaking/chi-return-uncertain-for-2-illinois-members-of-congress-20120909,0,3408032.story ''Chicago Tribune,'' "Return uncertain for 2 Illinois members of Congress," September 10, 2012]</ref>

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Kirk previously was a member of the [[U.S. House of Representatives]] from 2001 to 2010.<ref>[http://bioguide.congress.gov/scripts/biodisplay.pl?index=K000360 ''Bioguide'' "Mark Kirk" Accessed June 21, 2013]</ref>

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{{Introanalysis

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|Party=Republican

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|Rating=Center

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|Pronoun=he

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|Fullname=Mark Kirk

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|Lastname=Kirk

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}}

==Biography==

==Biography==

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*1989-Present: United States Navy, Commander

*1989-Present: United States Navy, Commander

*2001-2010: [[U.S. House of Representatives]]

*2001-2010: [[U.S. House of Representatives]]

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*2010-Present: [[U.S. Senate]]

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*2010-Present: [[United States Senate|U.S. Senate]]

==Committee assignments==

==Committee assignments==

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==Issues==

==Issues==

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===Illness===

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Kirk had a stroke on January 21, 2012, and as a result was unable to work while recovering. He missed all 189 roll-call votes in the [[U.S. Senate|Senate]] in 2012.<ref>[http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/breaking/chi-return-uncertain-for-2-illinois-members-of-congress-20120909,0,3408032.story ''Chicago Tribune,'' "Return uncertain for 2 Illinois members of Congress," September 10, 2012]</ref>

===Political Positions===

===Political Positions===

====Gay marriage====

====Gay marriage====

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{{Neutral vote}}

{{Neutral vote}}

Kirk did not cast a vote regarding the fiscal cliff compromise bill, which made permanent most of the Bush tax cuts originally passed in 2001 and 2003 while also raising tax rates on the highest income levels. The bill was passed in the Senate by a 89/8 vote on January 1, 2013.<ref>[http://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/roll_call_vote_cfm.cfm?congress=112&session=2&vote=00251 ''U.S. Senate'' "Roll Call Vote on the Fiscal Cliff" Accessed January 4, 2013.]</ref>

Kirk did not cast a vote regarding the fiscal cliff compromise bill, which made permanent most of the Bush tax cuts originally passed in 2001 and 2003 while also raising tax rates on the highest income levels. The bill was passed in the Senate by a 89/8 vote on January 1, 2013.<ref>[http://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/roll_call_vote_cfm.cfm?congress=112&session=2&vote=00251 ''U.S. Senate'' "Roll Call Vote on the Fiscal Cliff" Accessed January 4, 2013.]</ref>

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Kirk had a stroke on January 21, 2012, and as a result was unable to work while recovering. He missed all 189 roll-call votes in the [[U.S. Senate|Senate]] in 2012.<ref>[http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/breaking/chi-return-uncertain-for-2-illinois-members-of-congress-20120909,0,3408032.story ''Chicago Tribune,'' "Return uncertain for 2 Illinois members of Congress," September 10, 2012]</ref>

[[File:Mark Kirk 2010 Donor Breakdown.jpg|right|375px|thumb|Breakdown of the source of Kirk's campaign funds before the 2010 election.]]

[[File:Mark Kirk 2010 Donor Breakdown.jpg|right|375px|thumb|Breakdown of the source of Kirk's campaign funds before the 2010 election.]]

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Kirk won election to the [[U.S. Senate]] in 2010. During that election cycle, Kirk's campaign committee raised a total of $14,305,287 and spent $14,079,356 .<ref>[http://www.opensecrets.org/politicians/summary.php?cycle=2010&type=I&cid=N00012539&newMem=N ''Open Secrets'' "Mark Kirk 2010 Election Cycle," Accessed November 7, 2011]</ref>

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Kirk won election to the [[United States Senate|U.S. Senate]] in 2010. During that election cycle, Kirk's campaign committee raised a total of $14,305,287 and spent $14,079,356 .<ref>[http://www.opensecrets.org/politicians/summary.php?cycle=2010&type=I&cid=N00012539&newMem=N ''Open Secrets'' "Mark Kirk 2010 Election Cycle," Accessed November 7, 2011]</ref>

{{Congress donor box 2010

{{Congress donor box 2010

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|inddonor5 = $592,863

|inddonor5 = $592,863

|}}

|}}

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==Illness==

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Kirk had a stroke on January 21, 2012, and as a result was unable to work since then. He missed all 189 roll-call votes in the [[U.S. Senate|Senate]] in 2012.<ref>[http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/breaking/chi-return-uncertain-for-2-illinois-members-of-congress-20120909,0,3408032.story ''Chicago Tribune,'' "Return uncertain for 2 Illinois members of Congress," September 10, 2012]</ref>

Based on an analysis of bill sponsorship by ''GovTrack'', Kirk is a "[[GovTrack's Political Spectrum & Legislative Leadership ranking|centrist Republican]]".<ref>[http://www.govtrack.us/congress/person.xpd?id=400222 ''Gov Track'' "Mark Kirk," Accessed May 6, 2013]</ref>

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Based on an analysis of bill sponsorship by ''GovTrack'', Kirk is a "[[GovTrack's Political Spectrum & Legislative Leadership ranking|centrist Republican]]," as of June 21, 2013.<ref>[http://www.govtrack.us/congress/person.xpd?id=400222 ''Gov Track'' "Mark Kirk," Accessed June 21, 2013]</ref>

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===Like-minded colleagues===

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The website ''OpenCongress'' tracks the voting records of each member to determine with whom he or she votes most and least often. The results include a member from each party.<ref>[http://www.opencongress.org/people/show/400222_Mark_Kirk ''OpenCongress,'' "Rep. Mark Kirk," Accessed August 2, 2013]</ref>

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{{col-begin}}

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{{col-break}}

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Kirk most often votes with:

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*{{reddot}} [[Kelly Ayotte]]

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*{{bluedot}} [[Joe Manchin]]

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{{col-break}}

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Kirk least often votes with:

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*{{reddot}} [[Rand Paul]]

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*{{bluedot}} [[Patrick Leahy]]

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{{col-end}}

===National Journal vote ratings===

===National Journal vote ratings===

:: ''See also: [[National Journal vote ratings]]''

:: ''See also: [[National Journal vote ratings]]''

====2011====

====2011====

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Each year ''National Journal'' publishes an analysis of how liberally or conservatively each member of congress voted in the previous year. Kirk ranked 43rd in the conservative rankings among U.S. Senators.<ref>[http://www.nationaljournal.com/voteratings2011/searchable-vote-ratings-tables-senate-20120223 ''National Journal,'' "Searchable Vote Ratings Tables: Senate," February 23, 2012]</ref>

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Each year ''National Journal'' publishes an analysis of how liberally or conservatively each member of Congress voted in the previous year. Kirk ranked 43rd in the conservative rankings among U.S. senators.<ref>[http://www.nationaljournal.com/voteratings2011/searchable-vote-ratings-tables-senate-20120223 ''National Journal,'' "Searchable Vote Ratings Tables: Senate," February 23, 2012]</ref>

===Voting with party===

===Voting with party===

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====2011====

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====2013====

{{Congress vote percent

{{Congress vote percent

|name=Mark Kirk

|name=Mark Kirk

|party=Republican

|party=Republican

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|percent=89

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|percent=73.8%

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|rank=29

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|rank=44th

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|total=47

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|total=46

|chamber=Senate

|chamber=Senate

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|year=November 2011

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|year=June 2013

|RSen=Y

|RSen=Y

}}

}}

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::''See also: [[Staff salaries of United States Senators and Representatives]]''

::''See also: [[Staff salaries of United States Senators and Representatives]]''

====2011====

====2011====

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The website ''Legistorm'' compiles staff salary information for members of Congress. Kirk paid his congressional staff a total of $2,451,707 in 2011. He ranks 25th on the list of the lowest paid Republican Senatorial Staff Salaries and he ranks 34th overall of the lowest paid Senatorial Staff Salaries in 2011. Overall, [[Illinois]] ranks 9th in average salary for senatorial staff. The average [[U.S. Senate]] congressional staff was paid $2,529,141.70 in fiscal year 2011.<ref>[http://www.legistorm.com/member/320/Sen_Mark_Kirk.html LegiStorm "Mark Kirk"]</ref>

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The website ''Legistorm'' compiles staff salary information for members of Congress. Kirk paid his congressional staff a total of $2,451,707 in 2011. He ranks 25th on the list of the lowest paid Republican senatorial staff salaries and ranks 34th overall of the lowest paid senatorial staff salaries in 2011. Overall, [[Illinois]] ranks 9th in average salary for senatorial staff. The average [[United States Senate|U.S. Senate]] congressional staff was paid $2,529,141.70 in fiscal year 2011.<ref>[http://www.legistorm.com/member/320/Sen_Mark_Kirk.html LegiStorm "Mark Kirk"]</ref>

===Net worth===

===Net worth===

:: ''See also: [[Net Worth of United States Senators and Representatives]]''

:: ''See also: [[Net Worth of United States Senators and Representatives]]''

====2011====

====2011====

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Based on congressional financial disclosure forms and calculations made available by ''OpenSecrets.org - The Center for Responsive Politics'', Kirk's net worth as of 2011 was estimated between $2,002 and $33,000. That averages to $17,501, which is lower than the average net worth of Republican Senators in 2011 of $6,358,668. His average net worth decreased by 80.34% from 2010.<ref>[http://www.opensecrets.org/pfds/CIDsummary.php?CID=N00012539&year=2011 ''OpenSecrets.org'', "Kirk, (R-Ill), 2011"]</ref>

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Based on congressional financial disclosure forms and calculations made available by ''OpenSecrets.org'', Kirk's net worth as of 2011 was estimated between $2,002 and $33,000. That averages to $17,501, which is lower than the average net worth of Republican senators in 2011 of $6,358,668. His average net worth decreased by 80.34% from 2010.<ref>[http://www.opensecrets.org/pfds/CIDsummary.php?CID=N00012539&year=2011 ''OpenSecrets.org'', "Kirk, (R-Ill), 2011"]</ref>

====2010====

====2010====

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Based on congressional financial disclosure forms and calculations made available by ''OpenSecrets.org - The Center for Responsive Politics'', Kirk's net worth as of 2010 was estimated between $33,005 and $145,000. That averages to $89,002.50, which is lower than the average net worth of Republican Senators in 2010 of $7,054,258.<ref>[http://www.opensecrets.org/pfds/CIDsummary.php?CID=N00012539&year=2010 ''OpenSecrets.org'', "Kirk, (R-IL), 2010"]</ref>

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Based on congressional financial disclosure forms and calculations made available by ''OpenSecrets.org'', Kirk's net worth as of 2010 was estimated between $33,005 and $145,000. That averages to $89,002.50, which is lower than the average net worth of Republican senators in 2010 of $7,054,258.<ref>[http://www.opensecrets.org/pfds/CIDsummary.php?CID=N00012539&year=2010 ''OpenSecrets.org'', "Kirk, (R-IL), 2010"]</ref>

Mark Steven Kirk (b. September 15, 1959, in Champaign, Illinois) is a Republican member of the U.S. Senate from the state of Illinois. Kirk was elected to the Senate on November 2, 2010, winning a special election to serve the final weeks of President Barack Obama's Senate term, in addition to winning a regular six-year term starting January 3, 2011.[2]

Kirk had a stroke on January 21, 2012, and as a result was unable to work while recovering. He missed all 189 roll-call votes in the Senate in 2012.[3]

Based on analysis of multiple outside rankings, Kirk is a more moderate right of center Republican Party vote. As a result, he may break with the Republican Party line more than his fellow members.

Biography

Born in Champaign, Illinois, he graduated from Cornell University, London School of Economics, and Georgetown University Law Center. He practiced law throughout the 1980s and 1990s. He joined the United States Navy Reserve in 1989 and was recalled to active duty for the 1999 NATO bombing of Yugoslavia. He participated in Operation Northern Watch in Iraq the following year. He remains a member of the U.S Navy Reserve, now holding the rank of Commander.

Kirk was elected to the House in 2000. During his fifth term in November 2010 he won a special election to finish the final months of former Senator Barack Obama's term and he began a six-year Senate term beginning in 2011.[2]

Issues

Illness

Kirk had a stroke on January 21, 2012, and as a result was unable to work while recovering. He missed all 189 roll-call votes in the Senate in 2012.[7]

Political Positions

Gay marriage

Kirk became the second RepublicanSenator to speak out in favor of gay marriage in April 2013.[8] He follows in the footsteps of Rob Portman (R) of Ohio who announced his support of same-sex marriage in March 2013, citing his gay son, Will, as part of the motivation.[8]

In a statement on April 2, 2013 Kirk stated, "“When I climbed the Capitol steps in January, I promised myself that I would return to the Senate with an open mind and greater respect for others. Same-sex couples should have the right to civil marriage. Our time on this earth is limited, I know that better than most. Life comes down to who you love and who loves you back— government has no place in the middle.”[9]

Presidential preference

Specific votes

Fiscal Cliff

Kirk did not cast a vote regarding the fiscal cliff compromise bill, which made permanent most of the Bush tax cuts originally passed in 2001 and 2003 while also raising tax rates on the highest income levels. The bill was passed in the Senate by a 89/8 vote on January 1, 2013.[11]

Kirk had a stroke on January 21, 2012, and as a result was unable to work while recovering. He missed all 189 roll-call votes in the Senate in 2012.[12]

Expanded background checks on gun sales

On April 17, 2013, the U.S. Senate took a vote on and defeated a measure that would have expanded federal background checks for firearms purchases.[13] The vote was 54-46, with supporters falling six votes short of the required 60-vote threshold.[14] Kirk was one of the 4 Republican Senators who voted in favor of the measure.[15]

Campaign donors

Comprehensive donor information for Kirk is available dating back to 2000. Based on available campaign finance records, Kirk raised a total of $28,447,411 during that time period. This information was last updated on April 3, 2013.[17]

National Journal vote ratings

2011

Each year National Journal publishes an analysis of how liberally or conservatively each member of Congress voted in the previous year. Kirk ranked 43rd in the conservative rankings among U.S. senators.[21]

Voting with party

2013

Mark Kirk voted with the Republican Party 73.8% of the time, which ranked 44th among the 46 Senate Republican members as of June 2013.[22]

Lifetime missed votes

According to the website GovTrack, Kirk missed 271 of 626 roll call votes from Nov 2010 to Mar 2013. This amounts to 43.3%, which is worse than the median of 1.7% among currently serving senators as of March 2013.[23]

Congressional staff salaries

2011

The website Legistorm compiles staff salary information for members of Congress. Kirk paid his congressional staff a total of $2,451,707 in 2011. He ranks 25th on the list of the lowest paid Republican senatorial staff salaries and ranks 34th overall of the lowest paid senatorial staff salaries in 2011. Overall, Illinois ranks 9th in average salary for senatorial staff. The average U.S. Senate congressional staff was paid $2,529,141.70 in fiscal year 2011.[24]

Net worth

2011

Based on congressional financial disclosure forms and calculations made available by OpenSecrets.org, Kirk's net worth as of 2011 was estimated between $2,002 and $33,000. That averages to $17,501, which is lower than the average net worth of Republican senators in 2011 of $6,358,668. His average net worth decreased by 80.34% from 2010.[25]

2010

Based on congressional financial disclosure forms and calculations made available by OpenSecrets.org, Kirk's net worth as of 2010 was estimated between $33,005 and $145,000. That averages to $89,002.50, which is lower than the average net worth of Republican senators in 2010 of $7,054,258.[26]

Recent news

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Personal

In February 1998, Kirk met his future wife, Kimberly Vertolli, a Naval Intelligence Officer, by chance, while the two were on duty together at the Pentagon.[27]After 8 years of marriage, the two separated, finalizing their divorce in the summer of 2009.[28] Reports have noted that the divorce was an amicable one and the two remain close friends.[29]
Mark currently resides in Highland Park, Illinois.[2]